


the sky is irritated by stars

by youspeakmysoul



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: F/F, and there is absolulely not enough of them out there, i would die for these two just know that, so i took matters in to my own hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-04-24 09:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14353059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youspeakmysoul/pseuds/youspeakmysoul
Summary: In which Mary Anne Watkins is accidentally adopted by eighteen children, but she’s leaving any day now, really, she is.





	the sky is irritated by stars

**Author's Note:**

> This is has been sitting unfinished in my drafts for months now as I tried to work up the courage to post something after over a year of writing nothing worthwhile so apologies if I’m a little rusty. This is for the penumbra podcast for making me want to write again and for these useless lesbians who stole my heart!  
> Title is from Vladimir Nabokov’s quote _”I am a bit tired; the sky is irritated by stars. And I love you, I love you, I love you –“_

Mary Anne’s mama warned her about heading across the country by herself; it’s dangerous, undignified she said but when Mary Anne heard about a school opening up a few towns over it sounded like such a good opportunity. She couldn’t resist and if that involved moving away from Beau Richmond and his seemingly endless marriage proposals then so be it.

She curses Beau in particular for finding herself on a train that’s being robbed, if he had just taken no for an answer the first time she certainly wouldn’t have found herself in this predicament and she certainly wouldn’t expect to find herself kidnapped, after all what use was she to a bandit of all people?

Even if she can, and _will_ blame Beau for finding herself on the train, Mary Anne concedes she may have been to blame for causing a scene with the little boy but what was she supposed to do, let a rotten, no good bandit harm a child? In that respect, she can’t fault her decision too much if the outcome ensured a little boy’s safety. 

She does wonder why the kidnapping at all, though. Ransom doesn’t make any sense, Mary Anne was hardly the most well to do looking person on the train and her kidnapper didn’t look like the kind of person who would kidnap someone without a very good reason.

Not that Mary Anne had ever met any kidnappers but regardless, what kind of a kidnapper owns a ranch house out in the middle of the desert? Nothing about the situation makes sense, and that’s what gets her so riled up.

Not that it mattered much, Mary Anne tries to convince herself, as soon as first light she was leaving and forgetting she had ever met such a person or gotten in to such a mess. Yet she is mighty curious. Her mama did say that would be her undoing.

The room she’s led to, though too tired to cause much more of a ruckus, is sparsely furnished and if she were any less angry at the imposition of it all she may have chosen to look around further. Truth be told, she spends most of her first night pacing and admittedly cursing the bandit with words that would cause her own daddy to blush. Until a little boy stumbles in to the room and throws everything off balance.

-

It becomes abundantly clear why she was brought all the way out in the middle of nowhere when she’s introduced to a group of extremely loud children over the breakfast she’s tricked in to staying for. The youngest no older than four and the oldest, maybe, thirteen that this outlaw wants her to supposedly _teach_.

If they didn’t have an audience of little ones Mary Anne would waste no time in giving the thief a taste of her mind at such a ridiculous notion but it is such an audience that gives her pause. Mary Anne’s heart breaks for them, it really does, knowing they absolutely do need to learn but she also knows that she is not the person to teach them, is quite vehement about it in fact.

Despite her protests that she must get going, she finds herself getting pushed in to telling a story, it’s the big hopeful eyes that she can’t seem to refuse. The younger ones pull her in to a playroom that could easily double as a classroom, her mind traitorously thinks, sees it so clearly in her head that she has to remind herself how ridiculous it would be to get involved with a family she knows nothing about. A family of orphans with an outlaw for a parent no less! But when the youngest, Evie she’s almost sure that’s her name, crawls on to her lap half way through her tale dragging a teddy bear with her to cling on to, giggles happily at her theatrics and Mary Anne falls a little bit in love.

The older children who had seemed a little wary, hanging back from the gaggle of excited little ones, have too figured out that there’s finally someone to answer their questions and once they get started there’s little stopping them. They’re so curious about, well everything, and Mary Anne is only too thrilled to answer them, easily sliding in to the well-practised role of teacher.

“Miss Mary Anne, you’re gonna’ stay here, aren’t you?” It’s Billy who pleads with her after clearly taking a mighty shine to her and since refusing to leave her side.

“Oh, really I couldn’t.” Of course, she couldn’t. It was madness even considering it really, she knew she ought to leave immediately and get back to the life she was intending to make for herself in town before this whole debacle.

But could she really leave these kids without knowing for sure they were being taken care off? All she has to go on is the word of a criminal; hardly a reliable source, now is it? And she trusted this one just about as far as she could throw her, which given their height differences really wouldn’t be far at all.

The damn thief, Chance or whatever her name was, had slipped in just as the story finished and appeared suspiciously silent during this exchange until her eyes sparkled with mirth and she mocked, “Not even for a short while?”

At least Mary Anne assumes it’s mocking as she clearly knows what she’s doing when a chorus of _Please, please Miss Mary Anne_ overwhelm her and before she can think better of it she finds herself agreeing, I mean what’s the harm in staying for a few days, just to make sure they are being looked after properly, of course. She’d consider it teaching experience.

With her continued stay a done deal, Chance shoos the children out of the room to set the kitchen for lunch. Mary Anne rises with them to make her way to the wall that Chance has taken to casually leaning against.

“Let’s get one thing straight bandit, if I stay I am staying to make sure those darling children are being taken care off and it is absolutely nothing to do with you and this isn’t permanent, you are going to find another teacher and I am going back to my life, understood?”

“Clear as day, Miss Mary Anne.” And the infuriating thing is she's still wearing that amused expression that makes Mary Anne’s blood boil.

“And I certainly do not want to know about any stealing while I’m under this roof, I will not be involved in a crime!”

“Of course, Miss, you won’t know a thing,” Chance replies, tipping an invisible hat before joining the children and Mary Anne realises that’s not quite the same as agreeing not to commit a crime.

-

Mary Anne tries to have as little to do with Chance Sequoyah as possible, relying on the children, especially the younger ones who are so eager to help, to explain how things are done. Yet somehow, they manage to fall easily in to a rhythm that starts with sharing breakfast and usually descends in to bickering over the children, which leads Mary Anne to assume Chance just likes to see her riled up.

First order of business is for each child to be able to write the alphabet and then they can move on to each other’s names. Chance, quite eagerly, leads her to a cabinet with a haphazard pile of pens and paper and she’s thrilled to discover that a couple of the older children have very basic reading and writing skills so their first lesson is handwriting practice. Chance must understand the importance of learning, well she was willing to kidnap a teacher to ensure the children get some kind of education.

The children themselves are a pleasure to teach, so eager to learn but so unused to sitting inside all day it’s a challenge to keep their attention. So, she throws herself in to making lessons as enjoyable as possible; baking for example to practice their new number skills (even if they do just end up making a mess), making up new stories and getting them outside at least a few times during lessons to let off some of that energy.

She gets so caught up in lesson plans and frustratingly _Chance_ , who proves just as distracting as the children, that it’s been a week before she even considers leaving. The thought appears unbidden during a rare quiet moment of her day when most of the children are out helping Chance and the littlest ones are having a nap. It occurs to her that she probably shouldn’t be getting so involved when she’s not staying but she easily justifies the longer stay with her replacement nowhere to be found. It would be cruel to leave the children with no teacher just as they’ve gotten used to her lesson structures.

But she is leaving, she just needs a bit more time.

-

It’s been three weeks and true to her word _shockingly_ Mary Anne hasn’t noticed Chance leave once to do god only knows what. She does notice one morning however, Chance taking Clara, the oldest of the children, aside at breakfast that leaves her looking a little concerned and Mary Anne's curious nature implores her to ask Clara about it later. While looking mighty uncomfortable, Clara does admit that Chance is heading out for a few hours before dinner and that she should help put the kids to bed, something Chance usually does, if she isn’t back in time.

Mary Anne should feel relieved that Chance hasn’t told her, as per her own request but irrationally she feels angry at the fact she wouldn’t have known. It’s ridiculous, she knows she doesn’t have any real right to be told about Chance’s comings and goings but she can’t help but feel a little hurt at the attempted deception. As much as she detests Chance’s chosen career, she does understand that with more learning comes the need for more resources and Mary Anne herself is another mouth to feed.

So, she says nothing and pretends not to notice Chance setting up Moonshine and slipping out after lunch.

-

Mary Anne finds herself unable to get to sleep, something that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact it’s late and Chance still isn’t back. Whatever Chance is doing is none of her business and a little inconvenience would serve her right, probably the universe getting back at her for all the commotion and stealing. It’s also not like she doesn’t know what she’s doing, Chance is more than capable of looking after herself.

Even so, Mary Anne’s mind still not quite at peace, she imagines a cup of tea would probably help her sleep and so she makes her way down to the parlour to read for a while, looking in on the children as she passes. She smiles as she knocks on the third door and hears a muffled shriek before a pattering of feet running back to bed and giggling. Peeking her head around the door, she calls in an exaggerated whisper _Goodnight children, who absolutely should be asleep_. 

It's Sylvie who sits up, forgetting all pretense of sleep and calls back, "But we are asleep!" only to be met with a chorus of laughter.

"Maybe be asleep a little quieter, okay?" May Anne blows them a kiss goodnight and they at least pretend to think about getting some sleep and whisper their own goodnights. 

She settles down in what she now considers her chair by what’s left of the fire, drawing her shawl tighter around her shoulders and opens her book.

“Waiting up for me, Miss?”

Mary Anne startles, her ignored book tumbling from her lap to the floor. With a now familiar glare, she retorts “Don’t flatter yourself thief, I merely couldn’t sleep.”

Chance smirks at her and holds out her fallen book with a theatrical flourish, “Of course, my mistake, your book Miss.”

She snatches it from her fingers and contemplates throwing it at her before thinking better of it- who knows what damage that could do to the book? “Good night then.”

“Good night, Miss Mary Anne.”

-

Mary Anne often wonders if it was just a spur of the moment decision to bring her here or if Chance got lucky, the stars just happened to have aligned with that particular train journey and somehow she just knew Mary Anne was the person she wanted. It’s an awful leap from knowing Mary Anne is the type of person to protect a child she’s only just met to Chance giving her free reign with the children. Especially as apart from joining them for meal times, Chance is usually more than content to get out of her way during lessons. It strikes Mary Anne just how much faith Chance has placed in her from the very beginning.

Something that also happens to catch her attention though is how often Chance usually finishes or takes a break with whatever she’s doing just in time to listen in on Marry Anne's end of lessons’ story, a testament to her first meeting with the children that has been turned in to habit by request.

Hardly thinking it’s a coincidence, yet knowing Chance isn’t one for trying to subtly check up on her, Mary Anne doesn’t know what to make of it. Before she hears a surprised laugh one afternoon that Chance attempts to cover up with a cough and realises she might just enjoy listening to her. The thought warms her more than it should.

-

The next time Chance leaves is sooner than she’d imagine but it’s getting colder and Chance is a little on edge. Mary Anne is also aware that with the children learning more that means more resources which in turn means more money and she isn’t contributing anything. Not that she should mind you, Chance knew perfectly well the implications when she brought her here but Mary Anne does worry.

Chance does at least leave a note on Mary Anne’s desk this time, not outlining any specifics of course but simply letting her know that she won’t be around for dinner. Goes so far as to call it ‘ _business_ ’ and Mary Anne can’t help the surprised huff of laughter that bubbles out of her, that she would wholeheartedly deny, when she reads it.

She’d hardly call it a routine but reading her book in the parlour while Chance is gone and not stewing away in her room unable to sleep is definitely preferable and so that’s where she finds herself for a second time; absolutely not worrying about Chance Sequoyah.

The first thing that alerts her that something is wrong is that she hears Chance before she sees her. Chance has a fine habit of moving silently around the house so Mary Anne is surprised when she hears what she imagines to be a muffled curse as Chance stumbles in to the room. It’s only the small groan from Chance that draws her attention to the bruise blossoming over her right eye and a fine trail of blood running from her eyebrow.

“Chance! What happened?” Mary Anne appears by her side instantly, concern flooding her as quick as a punch to the gut.

Chance moves as though to dodge her but Mary Anne stands her ground, expecting an explanation. “A lucky punch is all; some folk don’t take too kindly to their things being taken as you can imagine.”

This is accompanied with an infuriating smile from Chance that she knows will most likely result in a scoff and Mary Anne storming off so imagine her surprise when instead she cups her cheek, almost tenderly, to get a better look at her injuries, “You look awful, sit down while I grab something.”

“That’s very kind Miss but- “

“Oh, hush Chance,” Mary Anne admonishes as she forcibly pushes Chance in to an armchair, “and stay where you are, good lord how do you get yourself in to these messes?”

“I can take care of myself,” Chance retorts, sharper than she means to but by god does it hurt and she’d much rather have a quiet drink until she can find the strength to sleep it off.

“You’re bleeding all over the floor!”

Chance is tempted to roll her eyes but instead softly says, “Careful now, for a second it almost sounded like you care.”

Mary Anne snorts most unladylike and brings over a basin of warm water and a cloth before perching on the edge of the armchair, “Be quiet and hold still.”

She gently dabs at the blood above her eyebrow as Chance curses under her breath. Mary Anne murmurs an apology before moving her fingers to tilt her head back and this time Chance flinches in what Mary Anne assumes isn’t pain and quickly pulls her hand back in to her lap. “Sorry, I’m not used to people touching me.”

Chance was striking, anyone could tell you that and as much as Chance taking her had clearly been for the children she does wonder if it wasn’t also a little for herself as well. She’s tactile enough with the little ones but it had to be mighty lonely after all, even if you were a no-good bandit. 

“Well, surely I’m not just anyone,” she smiles and takes the opportunity to distract Chance by talk of how well the children are doing- Billy in particular as she knows they’ve both got a soft spot for him.

She can’t help but notice how Chance’s face lights up when hearing about the children and how well they’re progressing at their studies and wonders not for the first time where Chance Sequoyah would be without them, or them without her.

-

After that if she happens to join Chance in the parlour in the evenings, just to keep her updated on how the kids are progressing, well that’s all there is to it and if she happens to leave out the makings for a cup of tea on the counter when she knows Chance hasn’t gone to bed yet that’s also neither here nor there.

They’re both seated on the settee; Mary Anne having forgone her usual armchair to curl up on one end with Chance stretched out on the other side, feet propped up on the small coffee table. It’s by no means a large seat so her feet end up tucked in to Chance’s side but she doesn’t think she notices, or at least doesn’t care to mention it. 

Chance is telling her a story from one of the earlier days of trying and failing to enforce the kids’ bedtimes especially when they spend one-night camping under the stars and subsequently refused to sleep in their beds for the next week. As sweet as that image sounds, Mary Anne knows it can’t have been easy taking them all in and she of course wants to know everything about how they came to make this life a home but Chance appears a lot more relaxed than Mary Anne has ever seen her and so she leaves her tough questions for another night.

Not that it has anything to do with not wanting Chance to stop smiling at her like that, just that she thinks it’s been too nice of an evening to put a dampener on it.

Chance stretches suddenly, arms high above her head and yawns, knocking her hair out of its usual practical updo. It tumbles over her shoulders in wild waves that stick out at the oddest angles and Mary Anne is transfixed, that’s the only word for it. Chance blushes at what is probably her blatant staring and mumbles an apology before moving to put it right.

That stirs Mary Anne in to action, sitting up on her knees so they’re now that much closer and reaching out to still her hand, “Don’t. Please, I’ve never seen it like that.”

Chance quirks an eyebrow and looks at her, not for the first time, like she’s a puzzle she can’t quite put together, “Not much to see, Miss.”

”I wouldn’t say that,” Mary Anne replies softly and her hand reaches out almost unconsciously. She aches to tangle her fingers in it, wonders how it would feel to have it slip through her fingers. Imagines how Chance’s breathing would hitch if she’d tighten her grip just enough to pull her closer, the heat radiating of her body, it would be so easy to just close the space between them, eyes dropping to glance at her lips - before Chance clears her throat awkwardly and she abruptly comes back to herself, hand hovering out stretched in front of her.

Mary Anne falls back to her earlier position on the other end of the sofa, shaking her head slightly and laughing a little to herself at getting so carried away over hair of all things. That this is _Chance_ she’s thinking about and Chance certainly doesn’t think about her, doesn’t _want_ her. Not like that.

Feeling a little flushed and what she refuses to call disappointed, Mary Anne is quick to wish her goodnight and gathers her things. Chance still appears fairly stunned but doesn’t try to stop her leaving, only offers a stuttering reply that could be a sleep well.

It’s only much later, with herself tucked in bed before Mary Anne realises she’s referred to this life, at least to herself, as home.

-

As easily as they slot together, it just as easily unravels. They are in the middle of another argument, of course not that unusual, it’s not even a new argument but neither appear to be letting it go. Mary Anne insists on bringing a few of the children in to town with them, after all what’s the point of learning if they can’t use what they’ve learned? 

“You said we weren’t trapped here!”

“And you ain’t!”

“So why can’t we go with you? It’s barely an hour to Crossroads and we’ll be back long before dark so the children will be fine and the older kids are more than capable of keeping an eye on things so give me one reason why we can’t come!”

“It’s too dangerous and that’s that,” Chance retorts, arms flailing like they do when she’s exasperated and wants Mary Anne to leave a conversation alone.

Although Mary Anne has too won her fair same share of their disagreements and she knows Chance better than that by now. Her hands find themselves resting on Chance’s shoulders and looks in to her eyes, almost pleading, “Oh please, Chance.”

Chance signs in resignation, though to her credit doesn’t look away, “Okay, fine. Three can come with us but they stay by us at all times, no running off and the first sign of trouble, you and them are out of there, understood?”

”Yes!”, Mary Anne squeals before wrapping her arms around her and pressing her lips to Chance’s cheek before she can think better of it, she’s just so excited. “You won’t regret this.”

Chance stammers and blushes, tries to hide it by grumbling half-heartedly. “I already do.”

She smiles fondly, “Oh lighten up Chance, it’ll be fun! Exactly what the children need.”

Chance has kept her hair down, probably at an attempt of fooling the wanted posters though Mary Anne isn’t worried- the two of them with their little ones will hardly stick out as anything other than a family day out. Admittedly she tries not to give too much thought to how much she enjoys that idea.

The childrens’ eyes light up as they pass through the market, tugging her hand every so often to pull them over to get a better look at some thing or the other. She even manages to talk Chance in to letting them buy a few sweets to bring back home to share with the others on their own, as long as they stay in eyesight, of course.

Smiling encouragingly as Natalia looks a little unsure, Mary Anne gestures for them to link hands and suddenly they’re all distracted by what they should buy. Risking a glance at Chance, she’s extraordinarily glad to see that little half-smile that Mary Anne knows she’s pleased.

She links their arms together, ready to say _I told you so_ , that despite Chance’s worries the day has ended up a success, just like she knew it would. Mary Anne catches her eyes, only to find the pure happiness she feels reflected back and realises maybe it’s not the time to be right. It may also be due to the hair flowing under the ridiculous hat that though she’s seen before, it still manages to divide her attention. So much so that she accidentally stumbles right in to someone.

“Mary Anne?”

Mary Anne freezes. The absolute last person she would expect to run in to, quite literally, is _Beau Richmond_. She can only stare in shock, aware of Chance poised to fight or flight at the sight of the apparent acquaintance and somehow such a predictable response settles her nerves.

“Beau!”

“Oh boy Mary Anne, am I glad to see you.”

Her eyes briefly flit to the children, close by just at the fountain and knows Chance is making sure they don’t stray from sight. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“Well I came to tryin’ find you, didn’t I?”

Mary Anne makes a choked noise of disbelief and horror as Chance clears her throat none too politely and the idea forms in her head before she can think better of it, “Oh, I’m so sorry Beau. This is Chance, my partner.”

Mary Anne can feel Chance tense as she curls her arm around her waist pulling them close together while Chance’s hand flounders for a brief moment before coming to rest over Mary Anne’s shoulders. She takes the opportunity to link their fingers with her free hand, squeezes in what she hopes is a reassuring gesture.

“Partner? By god, well, I always knew you were too good for me, Mary Anne but a fella’ had a try don’t he?”

Beau stretches out a hand and Chance deliberately ignores it in favour of closing the gap between her mouth and Mary Anne’s ear; reminding her that the kids will be wondering where they got to. She trembles a little at the proximity but quickly makes their excuses to leave and if Mary Anne happens to look a little flushed it can easily be blamed on the heat.

The snarky remark about Beau that she expects from Chance as the make their way back over to the children, never comes. In fact, she’s suspiciously quiet. It sets Mary Anne on edge.

The children loudly greet them, eager to show off their purchases and Mary Anne wraps each of them in a tight hug, telling them how well they did and how proud she is of them. Even Chance ruffles Joshua’s hair, congratulating them and they leave, children practically beaming in delight but Mary Anne can’t help but notice the tension that now surrounds them.

-

Mary Anne is curled up on the settee with a less than interesting book but Chance doesn't appear to want to talk to her yet so she bides her times before it finally comes, whatever has got her so worked up from the day. At least she hasn’t put her hair back up and the way it softens her face usually easily holds Mary Anne’s attention but her eyes keep getting drawn to the way Chance clenches her fingers in to tense balls at her side. She briefly considers reaching out to smooth and unfurl them before thinking better of it.

Of course it is Mary Anne who breaks first and sighs heavily, letting her book fall beside her with a thud. “Oh, what is the matter with you?” 

“Have you set on when you’re finally gonna’ leave us?”

The questions overlap as they trail off and it catches Mary Anne off guard, stutteringly and the like as she sits up to stare at Chance in shock. “I’m… well, no I haven’t thought much about it, is that what you want?”

She can’t possibly think of any reason Chance would want her gone but she keeps looking anywhere except at her and it makes Mary Anne want to shake her; curl her hands over her shoulders, feel the warmth and muscle- but no. Maybe Chance has finally figured it out and this is her letting her down gently. The thought that Chance doesn’t want her leaves her hollow and aching.

“Well, what do you want?”

Mary Anne wants to shout that of course she wants to stay, forever would be nice but she opens her mouth and no words come out. Really she has no right to stay if Chance no longer wants her there, it’s not her house, they’re not her children, she was brought in as merely a guest. _A kidnapped guest_ but none of that mattered.

Chance looks almost agitated as she runs her hands through her hair, a nervousness Mary Anne has never seen, before finally she fills the silence, “Look Miss, do I like having you here of course I do but I ain’t gonna force you to stay if you don’t want to, you’re free to leave at any time and the sooner that happens I’d say, the better.”

The words are posed to sting and they easily hit their mark but Mary Anne steels herself, the last thing she wants is a scene, “and the children?”

“Just like you said, I can find someone else.” She sounds strained but resigned as though Mary Anne has already left.

She lets the anger flare and drive her at the idea of being being so carelessly tossed aside. “So that’s it then?”

“Guess it is,” Chance softly replies.

Mary Anne stumbles quickly to her feet, tears stinging her eyes as she wills herself to calmly make her exit. Knows she won’t be able cope with having to say good bye to the kids, would most likely break down in tears and no one needs to see that so she does her best to quietly gather her things and slip out. Takes a small moment of perverse pleasure at the idea of Chance being forced to break the news of her leaving but even in her mind it’s more hurtful than anything. 

As she turns to leave, of course it’s Billy who catches her. Standing in her doorway he takes one look at her bag and his face drops.

“Miss Mary Anne! You ain’t leaving are you?”

She tries to hold her emotions in check, to be the adult she needs to be in this moment. “I’m afraid I have to, Billy.”

“Don’t you wanna stay with us? I promise to work extra hard with all my works I swear!”

She can almost hear her heart break and she pulls him in to a tight hug. “Oh Billy, of course I want to but I have a life I have to get back to.”

“But why? You have a lifes here with us.” He sounds so confused and she wishes she could forget the whole thing, promise to never leave them.

She plasters on a smile that she hopes is even a little reassuring “It’s complicated, okay? But everything’s going to be fine, Chance is going to find you a new and even better- wonderful teacher!”

“But I don’t wanna ‘nother teacher, I want you.”

She pulls away and wipes the tears from his face, “Hey now, no tears you’re a big boy, aren’t you? And you’re going to do everything Chance tells you and keep working on your reading, right?”

Billy sniffs loudly but nods and stands up a little straighter. “Are we ever gonna get to see you again?”

Mary Anne ruffles his hair and can’t even fathom a world where that’s true so she promises. “Oh of course you will, and don’t tell any of the other’s but I’m going to miss you the most.”

“I’m gonna miss you mores.”

She tells him so give everyone her love and apologies and leaves with an ache in her chest that is solely due to the little ones and is absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Chance is nowhere to be seen.

-

It only takes a day for her to realise what an idiot she’s been- it takes a further six for her to swallow her pride and actually do something. Six days of talking herself in circles. For one terrible moment she imagines putting the whole ordeal behind her and finds herself in front of Crossroads’ school, quite prepared to enquire about a job but it’s the sound of the children inside that just leaves her upset and wanting and she quickly flees back to her room.

Noticing how startling quiet the room at the motel she had checked in to is the last straw that finally moves her in to action. She doesn’t know how to belong anywhere else and if Chance Sequoyah wanted nothing more to do with her that was fine but she will not let her sabotage those children’s opportunity for an education. 

For the second time in her life she finds herself in front of a strange ranch house in the middle of nowhere, only this time it’s by choice. To her surprise it’s little Evie who spots her first and runs out from the porch to launch herself at her. Mary Anne hold her tightly, feeling more at home than she has in days as a crowd of children swarm around her and there just behind them, leaning on the front pillar as though she could be anywhere else is Chance. Chance Sequoyah with that ridiculous bandana around her neck, feathers in her hair and a smudge of dirt high on her cheekbone. _Her Chance._

Who manages to shoo the children reluctantly back in to the house with the assurance that Mary Anne and herself will both be right behind them.

”Forget something?” She asks so casually, eyebrow raised but Mary Anne can tell Chance isn’t as composed as she seems. For one she keeps refusing to look at her properly. 

Forgetting the carefully planned speech she had rehearsed on her way out here, the only thing that slips out is, “Why did you send me away?”

That snaps Chance’s head upward, eyes blazing in a way Mary Anne has never seen before, “Send you away? If I recall correctly you left of your own damn accord.”

“I most certainly did not, you practically pushed me out the door and I want to know why, things were going well.” That’s what she hadn’t been able to figure out. Mary Anne _knows_ her and certainly hadn’t missed the way Chance looks at her which is why she can’t understand the change of heart.

“Sure they were but you weren’t planning on sticking around so why drag it out?” Chance says it so flippantly as though she was always destined to leave, as though the time she spent with them amounted to nothing.

“No, no, no, if you didn’t want me to stay at least admit to it but don’t you dare push this on me when I hadn’t really thought once about leaving since you brought me here! I love those kids and to think I would want to just up and leave them-“

“But you did!” Chance interrupts her, taking a step forward so that they’re so close, too close together now and it’s the same longing she tried to hide the night she told her to leave and she can’t _do_ that; look at her as though she’s everything, that she _wants_ her and then tell her to leave in the same breath. It isn’t fair.

“Yes, because you made me!” This isn’t at all going how Mary Anne planned, they’re just going round in circles. Chance steps back again and she’s always stepping back as though they keep toeing this invisible line, never trusting her to follow as though she’s not worth following and it drives Mary Anne mad that’s she’d rather deny them both. She reaches out for her again and Chance flinches almost subconsciously and something inside her breaks.

Mary Anne let’s out a small scream of frustration before she grabs Chance’s stupid, beautiful face and brings their lips together. Chance stops breathing and stills, eyes wide in disbelief as Mary Anne steps back and for a brief moment her heart sinks at the possibility that she’s made a terrible mistake, ruined everything. 

Before Chance makes a small noise, a gasp as though she’s properly seeing her for the first time and kisses her back, infinitely better than the first. Lips pressed insistently against hers and it’s a little of-centre and messy but perfect. She finally gets her hands in the hair had had so captivated her and Chance’s hands have moved from her waist up her back, warm and solid as though she can’t stop touching her. Mary Anne feels a little lightheaded. 

As her hands find a particularly sensitive patch of skin, Mary Anne involuntary tugs that bit harder at her hair. Chance’s teeth find her bottom lip and she makes a sound that Mary Anne would wholeheartedly deny was a squeak. She does pull back a little, just so that their foreheads are resting against each other and Chance breathes out, “I did it for you.”

“What?”

Chance closes her eyes, looking almost uncomrtable but to her credit she doesn’t pull away. “So that you could find something better.” Mary Anne can almost hear the “ _someone better_ ” that’s going unsaid.

Oh Chance. Mary Anne laughs a little wetly, somewhat apparent that she may be crying and thinks about hitting her but instead thinks about the weeks of wanting and pulls her back flush against her, breathing her in “You absolute idiot.”

“What, why?” And Chance looks so confused, it amazes her that she really hasn’t figured it out yet.

Mary Anne lets go suddenly and can see the momentary flash of panic before she pushes it down and Mary Anne cradles her cheeks between both palms, thumbs sweeping reverently over her cheekbones so there can be absolutely no mistaking her words. “Because I am ridiculously in love with you Chance Sequoyah, and I want to come home.”

“Oh.”

“Is that okay?” She asks gently, needs to be sure that they’re finally on the same page.

Chance just nods and smiles, a blush rising high on her neck with their moment being shattered by one of the kids (she’d put good money on Billy) yelling _Finally!_ and she can see the rest of them cheering, faces pressed in the glass of the upstairs windows. Mary Anne just laughs, delighted and so incandescently happy before burying her face in Chance’s neck. 

She’s home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
